Housing zones scrapped in Marinwood, Tam Valley

Bowing to mounting pressure from Marinwood and Tamalpais Valley residents, Marin County supervisors Tuesday withdrew the two communities from regional "priority development areas" that pave the way for affordable housing.

The move came on a unanimous vote and at the urging of district supervisors Susan Adams and Kate Sears, after the county's development chief assured officials the move would have little effect other than limiting the amount of regional transportation money available for the two areas.

The action does not change zoning that continues to allow housing development including low-income projects, and has no impact on plans for 82 units proposed at Marinwood Plaza.

Supervisor Susan Adams, facing recall petitions circulated by angry constituents, made a lengthy statement in which she noted that housing plans were in line with countywide planning policy; indicated that confusion and misinformation, as well as community newcomers, had roles in propelling contention; and said a host of issues must be resolved before any development proceeds.

"We are focusing growth on areas that are already asphalted, plumbed and wired," she noted, saying targeting urban areas for development prevents sprawl. "Whether you like it or not, property owners have some rights," she said, adding that that doesn't mean development projects will materialize or, when approved, even get built.

"But because of the level of concern," Adams urged removal of Marinwood from the priority zone.

Supervisor Sears in turn called Tam Valley a "particularly challenged community" because of problems including traffic congestion, and that while scrapping the priority development designation may mean fewer funding opportunities, "Tam Valley ... has really thought about these issues."

But withdrawing from the development area "doesn't solve the existing traffic problem, and to do that we need money," she noted. "It's important to take time and think through the tradeoffs," as residents have done, she added. "There's very good reason to remove Tam Valley from the PDA."

Strawberry residents urged supervisors to remove their community as well, but the matter was not listed on the agenda, and Sears, urging constituents to "think about the big picture," said officials are looking at the potential of improving the Strawberry interchange "wye" on Tiburon Boulevard. She noted that county housing policies covering zoning will be debated in two months and added there is plenty of time for a community conversation to refine what is appropriate.

Community Development Agency chief Brian Crawford said withdrawing the Tamalpais-Almonte, Manzanita and Marinwood neighborhood areas from the zone along Highway 101 that county supervisors embraced in 2007 does not pose a problem, although transportation funding for the communities would be limited.

"What exactly would change?" Supervisor Katie Rice asked. Crawford, noting the funding issue, said that residents "may have a good summer block party to celebrate."

Many in the crowd had appeared at a county Planning Commission meeting on housing policies the day before, and 28 rose to speak, reciting familiar arguments.

Strawberry residents demanded their area be withdrawn from the priority development area as well, saying the community faced some of the same issues troubling those in Tam Valley and Marinwood.

"What we're here to say is Marin's character is not for sale," said attorney Riley Hurd, representing a coalition of Strawberry residents. "Please take Strawberry off the list as well," he said. "We need to start over." Almost half the speakers were Strawberry residents who agreed with him, but the board could not act on the request because Supervisor Sears had not put it on the agenda.

Others lashed out at the housing program as well. "We must say no to PDAs, no to Plan Bay Area, and get the hell out of ABAG," declared Clayton Smith of Tamalpais Valley.

But housing advocate Dave Coury had a contrary view, contending that "the truth is the first casualty of war" and indicating supervisors were flip-flopping under fire.

"You know the truth," Coury told the county board. "The staff knows the truth. You keep asking for new versions of the truth," he observed. "That's not fair."